Resource Renewal Institute

TO STRENGTHEN SOCIETY'S ABILITY TO SECURE THE FUTURE HEALTH OF THE PLANET BY FOSTERING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO INCREASINGLY COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE.

FISH IN THE FIELDS: AN ECOLOGICAL SOLUTION FOR RESILIENT RICE CULTIVATION.FISH IN THE FIELDS (FIF) IS A RICELAND MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL DESIGNED TO HARNESS NATURAL SYSTEMS THAT: 1) FOSTER RESILIENCE FOR TWO ESSENTIAL FOODS-RICE AND FISH; 2) PROVIDE WILDLIFE HABITAT AND BUILD BIODIVERSITY; 3) IMPROVE NUTRIENT/CARBON CYCLING; 4) SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH A SECOND ANNUAL CROP. IT IS A MODERN, CLIMATE-SMART ADAPTATION OF AN AGE-OLD PRACTICE RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AS A GLOBALLY IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE SYSTEM. FIF IS DESIGNED TO WORK SEAMLESSLY WITH CONVENTIONAL RICE GROWING PRACTICES. AFTER HARVEST, FISH ARE INTRODUCED INTO FALLOW FLOODED RICE FIELDS, WHERE THEY GROW RAPIDLY IN THESE PLANKTON-RICH ENVIRONMENTS. FIF IS PROVING THAT WINTER RICE FIELDS ARE HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS FOR RAISING FISH AND THE INTRODUCTION OF SMALL FISH IMPROVES NUTRIENT CYCLING. IN 2022 WE EXPANDED THE FIF PROJECT FROM CALIFORNIA TO ARKANSAS.

INSTREAM WATER TRANSFERS PROGRAM: SETTING A PRECEDENT ON BUTTE CREEK.IN 2023, AFTER 26 YEARS OF EFFORT, RRI SUCCEEDED IN PROVING THAT LEGALLY SECURING INSTREAM WATER RIGHTS FOR WILDLIFE COULD REVOLUTIONIZE WATER CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTIONS. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, RRI AND FRIENDS OF BUTTE CREEK PARTNERED IN A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND SALE AND PROOF OF CONCEPT OF RRI'S BUTTE CREEK WATER RIGHTS. WITH BUTTE CREEK AS A PRECEDENT, WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH WATER RIGHTS EXPERTS TO CREATE GUIDELINES THAT OTHERS CAN FOLLOW. OUR VISION IS THAT ONE DAY WATER TRUSTS WILL BECOME AS COMMON AS LAND TRUSTS.DEFENSE OF PLACE (DOP): KEEPING THE PROMISE OF PERPETUITY.HUEY JOHNSON FOUNDED DEFENSE OF PLACE AS "A SMALL, NIMBLE WATCHDOG ORGANIZATION" TO DEFEND PUBLIC LANDS WHOSE PROTECTIVE DEEDS AND STATUTES ARE BREACHED BY FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. SINCE 1997, DEFENSE OF PLACE HAS JOINED CITIZEN ACTIVISTS FROM MARYLAND TO CALIFORNIA TO PROTECT THREATENED PARKS, NATURE PRESERVES, WILDLIFE REFUGES, OPEN SPACES, AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FROM SALE, DEVELOPMENT, AND PREDATORY CHANGES IN USE. FISCAL SPONSEES - ADVOCACY EXPENSES RESOURCE RENEWAL INSTITUTE ACTS A S FISCAL SPONSOR FOR SEVERAL LOCAL GROUPS (THE "SPONSOEES"). AS RESOURCE RENEWAL INSTITUTE RETAINS ULTIMATE VARIANCE POWER OVER THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, AMOUNTS RECEIVED ON BEHALF OF THE SPONSEES ARE TREATED AS CONTRIBUTIONS WITH DONOR RESTRICTIONS TO RRI AND EXPENSES PAID ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP ARE TREATED AS EXPENSES OF RRI.

RESTORE POINT REYES SEASHORE: ADVOCATING FOR THE PUBLIC AND WILDLIFE IN A BELOVED NATIONAL PARK.RESTORE POINT REYES SEASHORE (RPRS) IS A MODEL PROGRAM FOR RESTORING NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND EXPANDING PUBLIC ACCESS IN THE ONLY NATIONAL SEASHORE ON THE WEST COAST. THIS UNIQUE COASTAL HABITAT IS HOME TO OVER 100 RARE, THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES, INCLUDING RARE NATIVE TULE ELK THAT EXIST IN NO OTHER NATIONAL PARK. THROUGH OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, WE ARE WINNING THE SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS TO REALIZE OUR GOALS: 1)ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION OF COASTAL PRAIRIES; 2)EXPANDED WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND ACCESS TO FORAGE AND WATER FOR TULE ELK; 3)INCREASED PUBLIC ACCESS AND ENJOYMENT; 4) GREATER REPRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF COAST MIWOK HISTORY AND CULTURE; AND 5)HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ADAPTIVE USE OF RANCH COMPLEXES AND REMOVAL OF NON-HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE. A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME WOULD REQUIRE THE PARK SERVICE TO UPHOLD ITS MISSION "TO PRESERVE UNIMPAIRED THE NATURAL, CULTURAL RESOURCES AND VALUES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM FOR THE ENJOYMENT, EDUCATION AND INSPIRATION OF THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS."

THE 64% SOLUTION: THE CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE AVOIDABLE BYCATCH.OUR GOAL IS TO BETTER PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE UNIQUELY RICH AND DIVERSE SEA LIFE IN CALIFORNIA'S OFFSHORE WATERS. CALIFORNIA'S 2018 MARINE LIFE MANAGEMENT ACT MASTER PLAN, IDENTIFIES COMMERCIAL FISHERIES USING SET GILLNET AND TRAWL GEAR AS "MOST IN NEED OF MANAGEMENT ATTENTION DUE TO THEIR HIGH BYCATCH RATES"-- UP TO TWO-THIRDS OF A TYPICAL CATCH ARE NON-TARGETED SPECIES. IN ADDITION, THE STATE HAS CONFIRMED HIGH LEVELS OF WHALE ENTANGLEMENTS BY DUNGENESS CRAB GEAR. IN SPITE OF THESE INITIATIVES, DANGEROUS, INDISCRIMINATE GEAR TYPES STILL WREAK HAVOC ON MARINE WILDLIFE. OUR AIMS ARE THE ELIMINATION OF SET GILLNETS, GREATER REGULATION OF HALIBUT TRAWLS AND THE MODERNIZATION OF CRAB FISHING METHODS.